GRAPHIC STORY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 123, 27 May 1941, Page 7

GRAPHIC STORY

ESCAPE FROM CRETE

THE KING OF GREECE

ENEMY LANDINGS FROM THE AIR

LONDON, May 26

The Greek King and some of his Ministers have arrived in Egypt after escaping from German parachutists and air attacks in 'Crete.

During a 72 hours' journey over rugged mountains, the Royal party slept in caves with shepherds. They were fired on by Greek patrols who mistook them for German parachutists, but none were injured. King George, in a message which he has issued to the Greek people, has disclosed that the houses occupied by himself and the Prime Minister of Greece, M. Tsouderos, were among the first objectives of the German parachutists, and that one of the first flights landed within a few hundred yards of the two houses. Fighting began immediately. "We became separated from our troops," the message stated, "and it was also impossible to keep in touch with the military and civil authorities, for which reason it was- necessary for us to withdraw from Crete in order to frustrate the enemy plans. "With profound regret, we decided to leave the heroic island while the Allied forces, and also all Cretans, irrespective of age, continued to fight with the most admirable courage against the unsuccessful attacks of the enemy, who has been using with his usual ferocity every mechanised device at his disposal. "I am convinced that it is in the interests of the whole Greek nation that our lawful Government should continue to function in the closest collaboration with the British Government. In the final victory the honour awaiting you, people of Crete, will be great, because you are the last glorious rampart of the Greek nation. All the Greeks throughout the world are watching you in the white mountains of Crete with confidence and admiration." WAITED TILL THE LAST. Major-General Freyberg advised the King to leave Crete before the German attack, but the King insisted on remaining till the last possible moment. The King left Crete on May 23. His party included the British Ambassador, I Sir Michael Palairet, and Lady Palairet, and members of the British Legation from Greece, Major-General Hey wood, head of the British military mission to the Greek army, and Colonel J. S. Blunt, military attache to Greece. Graphically describing their adventures before leaving Crete, MajorGeneral Heywood said: "The Germans on May 18 launched increasingly heavy air attacks on the aerodromes at Candia, Retimo, and Malemi, and on the shipping and installations in Suda Bay. Their attacks were very heavy on May 19, and they severely bombed a hospital, killing three doctors and several of the patients. "More heavy bombings occurred early on May 20. At 8 a.m. swarms of parachutists came down in the area south-west of Candia. In addition, troop-carriers and gliders landed to the north of Canea and tried to land at Malemi. The landing of parachutists went on steadily till noon. There was continual machine-gunning of the towns and olive groves, and dog-fights occurred wherever the parachutists were being landed. Fortunately, the King had left his house south-west of Canea on the night before, and went to the house of the Prime Minister at Perivolia." Colonel Blunt then took up the story: "The King occupied a house commanding a wide view of the countryside. His guard consisted of an escort of Greek gendarmerie and a platoon of New Zealanders under the command of 2nd Lieut. W. H. Ryan. The platoon had been in action in Greece from the start of the Balkan campaign. ARRIVAL OF GLIDERS. "They were aroused by the roar of a squadron of Messerscbmitts overhead, and King George, Prince Peter, and the Prime Minister came out to watch them. The remainder of the party, including the Governor of the Bank of Greece and the Prime Minister's secretary, were in another house in the village. Bombers followed the

Messerschmitts, bombing targets where they thought there were troops.

"Then, coming through the smoke of the bombardment from the north, we saw a very large force of aeroplanes, and took cover in trenches. Large gliders appeared over the house, circling for a long time.

"We did not see them land, though others landed later at the bottom of the King's garden. It was clear that a landing was going to be made, and shortly afterwards we saw troopcarrying planes flying very low in chains of three from the west. They seemed endless. Then parachutists started dropping."

Colonel Blunt continued: "A company of parachutists estimated at 150 to 200 came down in the area where the King had been the day before. It was an extraordinary sight. Their parachutes were red or green, and we saw through our glasses the French chalk in which they were packed popping off as the parachutes came out of the containers. "The nearest parachutists were about 800 yards away. We saw a number of parachutes \yhich did not open and which let the men fall straight to the ground. There was a great deal of machine-gunning from the planes, and also firing in all directions from our anti-aircraft guns and by troops. TOOK TO THE HILLS. "We decided that it was no use staying, as our house would obviously be attacked as a useful observation post. "With difficulty, due to the low-fly-ing planes, we collected our party, The whole thing happened so quickly that i we couldn't get transport, and we took to the hills literally with what we could carry in our hands. We saw another flight of parachutes come down on our road, and for this reason we had to climb a hill 1500-foot high in great heat. Every five or ten yards we had to take cover, as hundreds of planes were whizzing about in every direction. Everyone had to lie down. Prince Peter said he could see the faces of the rear gunners in the planes." Colonel Blunt explained that everyone was nervous of Germans in British or Greek uniforms, and therefore parties indulged in much shouting before meeting, each thinking the others were parachutists. After climbing the ridges, the Royal party at noon ar-